Just an hour before the fire broke out.
On a hillside ten li (Chinese miles) to the east of the village.
The old Daoist priest, who had appeared benevolent and immortal-like in the daytime, had now completely torn off his disguise, revealing a hideous, distorted face.
He simply gave up pretending.
He sternly ordered the monster by his side: "Act tonight. Be swift and clean; leave no trace."
"Remember, I want all the young boys and girls from this village!"
Soon after.
The monster under his command first massacred the entire village, then set a great fire to conceal the tragedy beneath the flames.
When the remaining young boys and girls in the village were brought before the old Daoist priest, every child's face was ashen.
He grinned.
And let out a savage laugh.
But after counting the people one by one.
The old Daoist priest suddenly frowned deeply: "No, why is he missing?"
He abruptly remembered that the boy who had rejected him during the day was not here.
That seemingly ordinary little boy had actually become the one that got away.
"A coincidence?"
He flicked his fly whisk.
After a moment of contemplation.
He took out an ancient bronze mirror from his robes.
The image that appeared on the mirror surface.
It was the scene of Liu Chang'an's family frantically fleeing into the mountains.
The old Daoist priest was slightly stunned, then a playful smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"So that's how it is."
"I underestimated you, little mouse."
"But no matter how you scurry, you won't escape my grasp tonight."
He gave a cold order, "You all watch these children. Poor Daoist will return soon."
On the other side.
Liu Chang'an's family had fled for several li in the night.
Though he still had strength, his parents were mere mortals and were already physically exhausted.
Especially since the mountain roads at night were difficult to traverse.
Thorns grew everywhere, and danger lurked all around.
Liu Chang'an decisively found a secluded cave and temporarily settled his family there.
He did not rest for a moment.
He quickly took out his homemade medicinal powder and scattered it evenly around the cave to cover his family's scent.
Every step was taken with extreme caution, demonstrating the principle of prudence to the utmost degree.
After his family rested for a while.
His young sister, Hu Niu, did not understand that they were fleeing for their lives; she was sound asleep in her mother's arms.
But no one felt the joy of surviving a disaster.
Only now.
Did his parents look at Liu Chang'an, beginning to seriously examine him for the first time, as if getting to know this child anew.
Their eyes were filled with complex emotions.
They knew in their hearts that if this child hadn't led them to flee overnight in advance.
The four of them would probably have been buried in the sea of fire along with the village...
Everyone called him Er Leng Zi (Simpleton).
But today, they finally knew that this child was not simple at all; on the contrary, he was extremely clever.
The boy before them possessed a composure and calmness that children his age did not.
This caused both parents to wonder, Was this still the Er Leng Zi who just herded cattle every day?
In such a critical situation.
He could make such a calm judgment, as if he had been completely reborn.
It was truly unbelievable.
Finally, his father asked with a doubtful tone, "Er, Er Leng Zi, how did you know our village would face danger?"
Liu Chang'an originally intended to say it was an intuition, but the words were on the tip of his tongue.
He immediately changed his explanation: "Because Heavenly Venerate Han once said that only with caution can you sail a ten-thousand-year ship."
"Han... Heavenly Venerate Han?!!"
The couple looked at each other, having naturally never heard of the glorious deeds of Heavenly Venerate Han.
Only Liu Chang'an held him in such high regard, even regarding him as a spiritual mentor.
He recounted slowly, "This person is an expert from overseas that your son met while herding cattle. He likes to travel the world, and his every word is the truth of the human world."
Hearing him say this.
The couple suddenly realized that their son had been blessed with such an immense opportunity.
The family of four rested in the cave for barely the time it takes an incense stick to burn, when Liu Chang'an suddenly got up, speaking resolutely: "No good, we must leave here immediately."
"What's happening?"
"We have to run again?"
His parents looked astonished.
Was this child being a little too careful and cautious?
If this had been a day earlier.
They certainly wouldn't have taken Liu Chang'an's words seriously.
But after the thrilling experience of this night and personally witnessing this child save the day.
The couple now regarded their child's words as sacred orders.
Unknowingly.
He had already become the backbone of the family.
The family set off again.
Under Liu Chang'an's lead, they continued their arduous escape through the thorn-filled mountain.
"Damn it!"
"That one that got away is so cunning!"
Sure enough.
Not long after they left, a figure swiftly descended, appearing quietly in front of the cave.
It was the old Daoist priest who had been deceiving the village.
He found the cave empty and was immediately a little frustrated.
Late into the night.
The family was still desperately fleeing.
After the old Daoist priest used the ancient bronze mirror to understand the whole story, he was shocked.
This family's cautious and stable way of fleeing.
It was simply unheard of and unseen.
All night long.
They climbed mountains and crossed ridges.
His parents were ultimately mortals and quickly collapsed.
Mortal bodies were simply too fragile.
"Er Leng Zi, we're old, we really can't run anymore..."
"You and your sister should go first!"
Tears welled up in his parents' eyes.
The words spoken at this point.
Were almost a final farewell.
But Liu Chang'an still shook his head.
He was unwilling to abandon any member of his family.
Father, Mother, Hu Niu...
The family of four.
Whole and complete, not one person could be missing.
Even though he was also a mortal, with a mortal body, he could still protect his family for their lifetime.
An idea struck him. He quickly came up with a solution.
He had his mother carry his still-sleeping sister on her back, his father carry his mother, and he himself carried his father last.
At this moment, with his Innately Divine Strength.
Even if he was being chased, carrying three people, he could still fully implement and uphold the philosophy of running away.
Apart from the obliviously sleeping Hu Niu, his parents were too stunned to speak.
If this had happened in the modern era, they would definitely blurt out: "Holy cow, this is too ridiculous!"
...
In the night, an extremely shocking scene appeared.
Swish, Swish, Swish!!
A child only ten years old, even carrying three people, could still travel as fast as flight through the dense forest, as if walking on flat ground.
This maneuver was practically like cheating.
"..."
Behind him, the old Daoist priest monitored them using the ancient bronze mirror.
Every time he saw this scene.
He was dumbfounded.
Seriously...
Is that even a human?
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed a child could be this outrageously strong.
It was simply preposterous.
Beyond all logic.
"Damn it!"
"This child holds a secret. I will have you, no matter if I have to chase you to the ends of the earth." A sharp glint flashed in the old Daoist priest's eyes.
Previously.
He had been toying with them like a cat playing with a mouse, not taking it too seriously, enjoying the pleasure of the chase and slaughter.
But now, he didn't want to be careless anymore.
The secret on this child had attracted him.
Liu Chang'an sped along, not stopping all night.
Just as he thought he had finally escaped danger, the sense of crisis in his heart.
Instead of dissipating, it intensified.
"Damn it!"
"Why can't I shake him off after running all night? It's like I have a tracker on me!"
He was certain there was nothing unusual about him.
Even the talisman paper the old Daoist priest left behind had been thrown away.
So, where exactly was the problem?
He frowned deeply.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
He wasn't the only one who had the "peace talisman."
Could it be.
His family members had them too?
At this moment, Liu Chang'an felt a chill run down his spine.
"Peace Talisman... where is it?!"
From the sleeping Hu Niu, he quickly pulled out the yellowish talisman paper, which was emanating a black mist.
In an instant.
He understood everything.
Though he didn't know the talisman's exact effect, he was certain that this was not a peace talisman, but a tracking talisman meant to locate and claim a soul.
CRACK.
Without hesitation, he ripped it to shreds.
"What?"
"He actually discovered it?"
Miles away, the relentlessly pursuing old Daoist priest, seeing the sudden disappearance of the image in the ancient mirror, was shocked again.
"This child's nature and cunning are unlike an ordinary young boy. He was actually able to see through my Thousand-li Tracking Talisman..."
"You truly are not simple."
He muttered to himself, an unprecedented excitement flashing in his eyes.
A child of humble, mountain-village birth could see through his tricks?
He wanted to capture this child even more now.
The east was growing white; the night was almost over.
The cover of darkness, which he had relied on for maneuvering, was about to disappear. By then, the four of them would all be exposed to the enemy's sight.
And his family was his only weakness.
At this very moment.
Liu Chang'an finally knew he had no other choice.
At a three-way intersection.
He slowed his pace and set them down.
Then he said seriously: "We can't put all our eggs in one basket. Let's split up and run!"
He did not state his true intentions.
If he did, his parents would definitely not agree.
But even with Liu Chang'an saying nothing, keeping all his thoughts inside, his parents still seemed to sense something.
As the sky first showed a hint of predawn light.
A breeze blew across their faces.
Seeing that his parents couldn't make a decision quickly.
Liu Chang'an could only be cruel this once. He turned and ran.
It seemed as if he had abandoned his family and gone his separate way.
In reality.
Liu Chang'an turned in a different direction, carrying the resolve of heading towards his death.
As his figure moved further away and disappeared.
If he could have looked back, he would surely have seen his parents, who were already weeping profusely.
As for Hu Niu, she was still sound asleep, a sweet drool trickling from the corner of her mouth.
May she have a good dream.
A brief farewell.
Only for a better reunion in the future.